decreased by 6,600 to 9,654,700. Full-time employment increased by 8,100 to 6,941,300 while part-time employment decreased by 14,800 to 2,713,400

UNEMPLOYMENT

decreased slightly to 580,500. The number of persons looking for full-time work decreased by 19,000 to 407,500 and the number of persons looking for part-time work increased by 18,400 to 173,000.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

remained at 5.7%. The male unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.6% and the female unemployment rate decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 5.8%.

PARTICIPATION RATE

decreased by 0.1 percentage point to 63.4%.

NOTES

CAI IMPLEMENTATION

Since October 2003, the ABS has been progressively implementing computer assisted interviewing (CAI) into the LFS. Under CAI, interviewers record responses directly onto an electronic questionnaire in a laptop computer. This replaces the traditional 'pen and paper' method previously used.

The CAI method was used on a random 10% sub-sample of survey interviews in October 2003. This was increased progressively to 40% between February and April 2004, to 70% in June and 100% in August.

During the implementation period the ABS conducted a range of analyses on each month's data. These analyses confirmed that the change in interview method has not materially affected the aggregate estimates for any month.

SAMPLING ERRORS

The estimates in this publication are based on a sample survey. Because the entire population is not enumerated, the published estimates and the movements derived from them are subject to sampling variability. Standard errors give a measure of this variability and appear on pages 27 and 28.

The 95% confidence intervals below provide another way of looking at the variability inherent in estimates from sample surveys. The interval bounded by the two limits is the 95% confidence interval. A 95% confidence interval has a 95% chance of including the true value of the estimate.

Movements in seasonally adjusted series between July and August 2004

Monthly change

95% Confidence interval

Total Employment

-6,600

-43,600

to

30,400

Total Unemployment

-600

-14,000

to

12,800

Unemployment rate

0.0 pts

-0.2 pts

to

0.2 pts

Participation rate

-0.1 pts

-0.3 pts

to

0.1 pts

INQUIRIES

For further information about these and related statistics, contact the National Information and Referral Service on 1300 135 070 or Michael Johnson on Canberra (02) 6252 6525.

PRINCIPAL LABOUR FORCE SERIES TREND ESTIMATES

EMPLOYED PERSONS

The trend estimate of employed persons generally rose from a low of 7,637,500 in December 1992 to 9,054,800 in September 2000. The trend estimate then fell slightly to 9,033,700 in January 2001, before rising to 9,464,700 in March 2003. The trend estimate then fell for three months, before rising to stand at 9,663,600 in August 2004.

UNEMPLOYED PERSONS

The trend estimate of unemployed persons fell rapidly from 920,700 in September 1993 to 728,100 in July 1995. The trend estimate then rose to 771,700 in February 1997, before falling to 583,600 in September 2000. After rising to 685,300 in October 2001, the trend estimate has generally fallen to stand at 576,400 in August 2004.

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

The trend unemployment rate fell rapidly from 10.7% in August 1993 to 8.1% in July 1995. The trend estimate then rose slowly, reaching 8.4% in February 1997, before falling to 6.1% in September 2000. After rising to 7.0% in October 2001, the trend estimate has since fallen to stand at 5.6% in August 2004.

STATES TREND ESTIMATES

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE

NEW SOUTH WALES

The trend unemployment rate for New South Wales fell steadily from 10.7% in January 1993 to 7.4% in August 1995. The trend then rose gradually, reaching 7.7% in April 1997, before falling to 5.3% in September 2000. The trend rate then rose to 6.4% in October 2001, before generally falling to 5.4% in February 2004. The trend has risen over the last six months to stand at 5.6% in August 2004.

VICTORIA

The trend estimate of the unemployment rate for Victoria decreased from a peak of 12.1% in August 1993 to 8.2% in May 1996. The trend then rose until November 1996, before falling steadily to 5.8% in October 2000. The trend then rose to 6.7% in November 2001, before generally decreasing to 5.5% in November 2003. The trend has since risen and stands at 5.9% in August 2004.

QUEENSLAND

The trend estimate of the unemployment rate for Queensland increased from 8.3% in December 1994 to 9.5% in February 1997. The trend then generally fell to 7.3% in August 2000, before rising to 8.7% in May 2001. Over the last three years the trend rate has fallen to stand at 5.6% in August 2004.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

The trend unemployment rate for South Australia decreased from 11.6% in June 1992 to 8.9% in June 1996. The trend then rose slowly to 9.8% in July 1998 before generally falling to 7.1% in January 2001. The trend rate rose to 7.6% in July 2001 before falling to 6.1% in January 2003. The trend then gradually rose to 6.6% in December 2003 before falling to stand at 6.2% in August 2004.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

The trend estimate of the unemployment rate for Western Australia rose from 7.0% in July 1995 to 7.5% in July 1996 before generally falling to 5.8% in August 2000. The trend then rose sharply to 7.4% in June 2001. Since then the trend has generally fallen to stand at 4.9% in August 2004.

TASMANIA

The trend estimate of the unemployment rate for Tasmania fell from a peak of 12.5% in August 1993 to 9.1% in September 1995. After rising to 10.9% in October 1997, the trend generally fell to 8.7% in September 1999. The trend estimate remained relatively steady until February 2003, before falling sharply for the next six months. The decrease in the trend rate has slowed over the last year, and stands at 6.7% in August 2004.